How sad it is that human sexuality can't be openly discussed... even in an academic setting! Unfortunately, the path to enlightenment is very often a bumpy road, filled with detours into the territory of one step forward two steps back.

Just read today that Northwestern University who had original stood behind the professor, reversed itself, criticizing him in the face of the public outcry. I've got a good mind to see if I can locate this gentleman's email address. It might be a decent idea to send him some words of support!

We have an entire thread dedicated to Spreading the Word about the Aneros. If an educator at a major University is harassed because of a frank discussion (and lab) on human sexuality then we have no hope. I shot the good professor out a quick note earlier this evening. I would encourage everyone here to do the same. I also cc'd the head of the psychology dept. and the president of Northwestern University.

My name is Brian Mayfield, and I'm writing to express my support on behalf of your efforts as an educator. The events of the last few days have probably shaken your impressions of our culture at large. I'm guessing that you never dreamed that a class demonstration would have provoked this kind of animosity. It is a sad indictment of our society that an uproar could be created over something like this. As you may be aware, the situation abroad, specifically in Europe is quite different. A controversy like this would be deemed silly, if not incomprehensible. There was a time when I thought that our culture had grown past this.... where the society had ceased being so embarrassed by human sexuality. But the unrelenting onslaught of rabid religious fundamentalism and the politicians who pander to it have taken their toll. Ours is a country where people are embarrassed by what they see in the mirror...particularly when they're naked.

The path to enlightenment is a bumpy road filled with numerous potholes and occasional detours like this. My feeling is that greater awareness is an evolution of sorts and that what we are seeing today will change in time. If not for the efforts of someone like yourself things will remain the same. Stay the course!

I agree that this is a very unfortunate academic reversal and pandering to uninformed public pressure, when the choice of anyone in attending the sexual technique demonstration was fully informed and freely made. It is academic cowardice by the University to reverse itself like that. I hope that some of what is advancing here in our Aneros and KSMO communities can lead, over the next few months, to open public discussions here in Canada, at least to begin.

all the truth and beauty of orgasmic energetics and the full energies spectrum should be respectfully known and available for the personal consideration of all

I'm ambivalent. While I certainly support the open exchange of ideas, especially when it comes to all things sexual, I think I have to side with the University president on this one.

It does seem to me that actually having a women use sex toys on herself in a university classroom is over the top. Sorry guys, there are things that are appropriate, and those that are not, and this certainly falls in the latter. I think that this is not so much education as appeal to prurient interests. There is absolutely no way to justify this, Brian, et.al. It simply does not belong in a college classroom.

Academic freedom allows for the exchange of ideas, radical as well as established, but watching a woman stick vibrating toys up her anus or vagina, under the guise of "education" is simply neither logical nor enlightening. I'll bet the prof has trouble wanking.

[QUOTE=Buster;96125]I would love to see our little part of the world go more mainstream. I bet the good professor would be a great addition to our group.

Buster and all,

Just to be clear, I sent my email to the professor and his superiors as a show of support from an individual .....not as a representative of a community. I did this to provide some balance to what at present must be a torrent of criticism coming his way. (I would point out that Fox News has the story and has been running with it). While I was contemplating making some contact with him privately with the intent of discussing the developments in our sphere, I am convinced that it is not appropriate just now and it may not be possible anyway. First, I have no idea what the level of security/sanctity is of the email system at Northwestern University. The administration may be monitoring the professor's communications at this time for purposes of academic oversight or as a response to threats. The last thing that I want to do is to involve our community in a roiling controversy such as this. This is not the kind of exposure that we need. Secondly, I am fairly certain that he is preoccupied at the moment dealing with the matters at hand. There may be time for this down the line once things have simmered down. The fact is, whether we ever engage with this man or not, it is important that he be supported as views like his will be essential for creating a climate where our ideas can be heard. Again, what this man needs most at this point is support, this was the reason for my appeal yesterday. I would suggest that everyone do so as individuals, writing something that could be seen by the administration, leaving all other agendas for a later time....ultimately this will carry the most weight.

Lastly, while it is my desire as well that our ideasgo mainstream there are a great many people in our community that cherish their anonymity. We would certainly want to avoid doing anything that would change the character of the forum. Consequently getting the word out there must be approached carefully, even under the best of circumstances....which this is not.

BF Mayfield

p.s. In regard to Cockadoodle's concerns I would point out that many college level Human Sexuality courses have included the use explicit adult videos for decades. This material is being presented to adults in an educational manner. The presentation is not lewd and is not designed to raise prurient interests. Personally, I would much prefer that young minds learn of these kinds of things in this setting vs. the pages of a men's magazine. It is important to note once again, that the explicit nature of this demonstration was clearly and completely disclosed beforehand and that this was a purely optional event. This was a 5 minute demonstration that was preceded by a lecture... not a sex show. It should be pointed out as well that all of the feedback from those who attended was positive.

My feeling is that if we can't open ourselves up to educational discussions and yes demonstrations of more conventional sexuality, how can we expect that anybody will ever have any space for what goes on around here!

I agree with the whole of the tactical analysis and recommendations B. The state of media, and what should be respectful public conversations, on your side of our border is parlous; anti-democratic, anti-freedom, anti-liberty, anti-facts, anti-science... unbelievable... actually quite anti-American in the Jefferson to FDR American sense. Forgive your neighbour's intrusion.

Things are a little more balanced on this side of the border and we may be able to explore things publicly here a little sooner. But we have a touch of that infection here too.

The unique abilities that the trust we all have in this community imparts cannot be imperilled or we loose far too much. My email to Bailey will be personal in my outside/everyday name. I have hope, and can feel and see the day when my public life and my life here can gradually become one.

all the truth and beauty of orgasmic energetics and the full energies spectrum should be respectfully known and available for the personal consideration of all

Sometimes in the heat of sensationalist news items, we often only get a partial view of the truth. Here is Professor Bailey's own account of the incident.The February 21st Demonstration: Bailey’s AccountI teach a large (nearly 600 person) human sexuality class at Northwestern University. During class I lecture about the science of sexuality. Many days after class I organize optional events. These events primarily comprise speakers addressing interesting aspects of sexuality. This year, for example, we have had a panel of gay men speaking about their sex lives, a transsexual performer, two convicted sex offenders, an expert in female sexual health and sexual pleasure, a plastic surgeon, a swinging couple, and the February 21st panel led by Ken Melvoin-Berg, on “networking for kinky people.” These events are entirely optional, they are not covered on exams, and I arrange them at considerable investment of my time, for which I receive no compensation from Northwestern University. The students find the events to be quite valuable, typically, because engaging real people in conversation provides useful examples and extensions of concepts students learn about in traditional academic ways.

I recruited Ken Melvoin-Berg (Ken MB henceforth) because past speakers covering similar topics had not been very interesting—they had merely given powerpoint presentations, of which students get too many already. They were also unwilling to answer questions about their sex lives, which defeated the purpose of that particular presentation. I had met Ken and believe he is articulate, open, knowledgeable, entertaining, and yes, kinky. Sexual diversity is surely a reasonable thing to address in a human sexuality class. I certainly had no hesitation inviting Ken MB, and I asked him whether he could recruit others, as well, to give the presentation. (I especially thought it would be useful to have a woman as well as a man.)

On the afternoon of February 21st Ken MB and colleagues arrived while I was finishing my lecture, on sexual arousal. I was talking about the female g-spot and the phenomenon of female ejaculation, both of which are scientifically controversial. I finished the lecture and invited the guests onstage. On the way, Ken asked me whether it would be ok if one of the women with him demonstrated female ejaculation using equipment they had brought with them. I hesitated only briefly before saying “yes.” My hesitation concerned the likelihood that many people would find this inappropriate. My decision to say “yes” reflected my inability to come up with a legitimate reason why students should not be able to watch such a demonstration. After all, those still there had stayed for an optional demonstration/lecture about kinky sex and were told explicitly what they were about to see. The demonstration, which included a woman who enjoyed providing a sexually explicit demonstration using a machine, surely counts as kinky, and hence as relevant. Furthermore, earlier that day in my lecture I had talked about the attempts to silence sex research, and how this largely reflected sex negativity. I have had previous experiences with these silencing attempts myself. I did not wish, and I do not wish, to surrender to sex negativity and fear.

Ken MB and friends spoke to the class for a while and then informed students they were about to perform their demonstration. The presentation seems to have lasted about 5-10 minutes of their hour-long presentation. While I watched, I experienced some apprehension. None of this apprehension had to do with the possibility of harm to any observer, and none of it had to do with a lack of educational value. As I alluded, some experiences are educational and interesting in non-traditional ways. Rather, I was worried that there could be repercussions that would threaten the valuable speaker series that I have built over the years.

Student feedback for this event (I routinely feedback collect for all events) was uniformly positive. Although most students mentioned the explicit demonstration—which they enjoyed and thought was a singular college experience—most also said that the most valuable part was engaging in a dialogue with Ken MB et al.

Do I have any regrets? It is mostly too early to say. I certainly have no regrets concerning Northwestern students, who have demonstrated that they are open-*‐minded grown ups rather than fragile children. I have not enjoyed the press, because I have assumed that reporters will sensationalize what happened and will not provide my side. (A welcome exception to this, mostly, was the Daily Northwestern article.) I suspect that my Dean is not enjoying this publicity, and I do not like displeasing my Dean.

To the extent that this event provokes a discussion of my reasoning, above, I welcome it. I expect many people to disagree with me. Thoughtful discussion of controversial topics is a cornerstone of learning .

J. Michael BaileyProfessor3/2/11Evanston, Illinois"Thoughtful discussion of controversial topics is a cornerstone of learning ." This guy sounds OK to me, let him teach!